Proposing marriage to a woman has to be one of the most exciting and frightening moments in a man’s life; you worry about the wording you’ll use, about the circumstances in which you will do it and, most of all, you worry about what her answer will be. We can’t help you with convincing your loved one to become your wife, but we can tell you that few things express your love better than a beautiful engagement ring; choosing one is also quite difficult, not only because there are so many types out there, but because you have to know the finger size of your future bride and her tastes in jewelry, all while keeping to a budget you afford.

In what follows we are going to present some of the most common types of engagement rings, so you at least know what to ask around for when you do go shopping. What characterizes most engagement rings is a big central stone, usually a colorless diamond. A recent variant to it that has gained a lot of popularity lately are halo engagement rings, a special and precious design that makes any woman feel like a queen. As the name suggests, what makes these rings different is the fact that the central stone is surrounded by a halo of smaller stones; the classical type is like the Solitaire, with a colorless diamond, square or round-shaped, surrounded by smaller, similar diamonds. However, if you like to be original, you don’t have to go for the classical features, and opt for a colored diamond, or even other precious stones like sapphires or rubies.

Another type of engagement rings that women seem to prefer, precisely because they are a bit unusual for engagement, are garnet rings, or rings that have a red stone set in, like a ruby. Garnet rings can be quite romantic, because red represents love and passion; as you see in the picture below, the stone can be heart-shaped, which is even more expressive of your love. Garnet rings can also come in the halo style, with the garnet being surrounded by the diamond chain.

If you want your proposal to be truly personal, then you might consider offering an heirloom ring to your future bride; having a wedding ring passed on through your family, from generation to generation, speaks of a continuity and stability that are essential in marriage, but it also represents tradition and strong family bonds. Another way of making your proposal unique is to choose a customized engagement ring, inspired by a theme that your loved one is passionate about. For example, several jewelers have created engagement rings inspired by Disney princesses, and each ring represents the colors and personality of heroines like Cinderella, Belle, Ariel, Pocahontas, and so on. Other theme-inspired wedding rings have to do with cult movies like Star Wars, or Lord of the Rings. If you and your girlfriend are a bit nerdy, you may enjoy wearing these unique rings that will always remind you of your union and your shared passions.